Favorite Genre of Writing: Though I love a good work of fiction, I’m partial to nonfiction and creative nonfiction—essays, memoirs, travel writing, arts journalism, and popular histories.

Plans for the school year: I plan on balancing mainly writing and publishing workshops geared towards my career goals of writing for magazines and professional digital publishing. I also plan on joining the English Graduate Student Association and attending their various events.

I graduated magna cum laude from Huntingdon College (Montgomery, AL) in 2007 with a B.A. in English and History. While at Huntingdon I served as captain of the men’s soccer team and was actively involved in Greek life and English departmental student affairs. After college I spent a year bouncing between jobs as a soccer coach and official, a Starbucks barista, and a financial services representative, before making the decision to follow my heart and make the written word my career of choice.

In 2008 I took a giant leap of faith and joined publisher NewSouth Books as an unpaid intern, and that risk paid off when I was hired into the editorial department after a few short weeks. I worked in the editorial department for two years, where I was responsible for everything from proof reading and copy editing to blog writing to author relations and publicity.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at NewSouth, where I was fortunate to meet and work with many wonderful and talented authors. While there I also served as a contributing writer for local southern lifestyle magazine Montgomery Living, and I also contributed book reviews to the Alabama Writers’ Forum. I’m excited to work with Richard Jones as associate editor of Poetry East, and I look forward to the rewarding experience of graduate studies in writing and publishing. When I’m not writing or working, I enjoy attending concerts, jackleg photography, traveling, running, watching and playing soccer, Auburn University football (War Eagle!), and taking my Weimaraner/Lab puppy Lucy on walks through Lincoln Park.